New Plug-in Hybrid Powertrain for GWM Tank 300 in Australia
The GWM Tank 300 has introduced a new plug-in hybrid powertrain to the Australian market. However, this update comes with some changes that may not be welcomed by all customers. Notably, the regular petrol option will no longer be available, and the vehicle will also miss out on the updated interior design that is available in China.
In March 2025, the updated Tank 300 was revealed in China. It features a redesigned dashboard with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a free-standing 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen running the latest Coffee OS 3.0 operating system. Other upgrades include new rocker switches on the centre console and a second 50W wireless phone charger.
The current Australian-market Tank 300 also has a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, but it features a smaller 12.3-inch touchscreen running a previous generation of multimedia technology. The reason for not receiving the new interior is due to the gear shifter. The updated Tank 300 has replaced its chunky console-mounted gear shifter with a slim, column-mounted stalk. This design is similar to shifters found in other GWM models like the Haval H6 and is comparable to those from Mercedes-Benz. However, it may not be as desirable for a rugged off-roader.
According to Tim Leong, GWM Australia product planning manager, “With our research, people didn’t like the column shifter.” He added, “This [new] interior is locked in with the column shifter,” indicating that GWM Australia must take the entire new cabin or none at all. The company chose the latter. Mr. Leong also mentioned that the new interior has been launched for a while, but from a facelift point of view, the company is just a little bit off, which will align with future facelifts.
Australian customer deliveries of the Tank 300 began early in 2023 when the model was first released as a hybrid before gaining a petrol powertrain later that year, followed by a diesel in 2025, and a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) this year. This brings the number of powertrain types available in the current Tank 300 lineup to four, which is rare in Australia. The Kia Sorento is another notable example, also offering petrol, diesel, hybrid, and PHEV options.
Last year, hybrid vehicles accounted for 13.3 per cent of all Tank 300 deliveries in Australia, which totaled 5035 units across petrol, diesel, and hybrid variants. This made it GWM’s fourth best-selling model, after the Haval Jolion small SUV (19,413), Haval H6 mid-size SUV (13,217), and Cannon ute (7800).
However, the powertrain count will drop to three come mid-year, with GWM phasing out the base turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. GWM is doing the same with the Haval H6 GT, which will drop to a single plug-in hybrid variant.
The Tank 300 is currently available with petrol power only in Ultra trim, priced at $50,990 drive-away. That positions it between the base Lux diesel ($48,990 drive-away) and Ultra diesel ($52,990 drive-away), and the Ultra petrol undercuts its hybrid counterpart by $6000.
However, it misses out on features found on other Ultra-spec Tank 300s, including driver’s seat and mirror memory, DAB+ digital radio, satellite navigation, and semi-autonomous parking assist. It’s also the only Tank 300 sold in Australia without GWM App connectivity, which allows you to use a smartphone to remotely control the locks and climate control, among other features.
The Australian-market Tank 300 may miss out on the new interior design, but there are other updates coming. GWM has confirmed the Tank 300 is next in line for local chassis tuning under the local AT-1 program led by former Holden chassis engineer Rob Trubiani, with the focus being on diesel and PHEV variants.
Hi4-T PHEV variants will launch with a tune that differs from the Chinese-market tune, but which isn’t an AT-1 tune. However, the locally developed tune is expected to enter production within the next six to eight weeks, with AT-1 diesel and PHEV variants expected to arrive Down Under in the coming months.
